Associations Between Sleep Disturbances, Personality Traits and Self-Regulation in a Sample of Healthy Adults Publisher



Zakiei A¹ ; Sadeghibahmani D^{2, 3} ; Khazaie H¹ ; Lorestani Z⁴ ; Sadeghi M⁴ ; Korani D⁴ ; Sahraei Z⁴ ; Komasi S¹ ; Stanga Z^{5, 6} ; Bruhl AB⁷ ; Brand S^{1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11} Show Affiliations
Source: Journal of Clinical Medicine Published:2024

Abstract

Background: Scientific evidence and everyday experience show that sleep disturbances and self-regulation as a proxy of stress reactivity are linked. Particular personality traits such as neuroticism, internalizing and externalizing problems are also associated with sleep disturbances. Here, we combined self-regulation and personality traits and associated these variables with subjective sleep disturbances. Methods: A total of 846 adults (mean age: 33.7 years; 78.7% females) completed questionnaires covering sleep disturbances, self-regulation and personality traits. Results: Higher scores for sleep disturbances were associated with higher scores for externalization, internalization, and instability and with lower scores for stability (all trait variables) and with poorer self-regulation (state variable). The regression model showed that higher scores for externalization and internalization (traits), and lower scores for self-regulation (state) predicted higher scores for sleep disturbance. Next, self-regulation had both a direct effect on sleep disturbance, and an indirect effect via personality traits. Conclusions: Sleep disturbances were related to both state (i.e., self-regulation) and trait (e.g., internalization and instability) dimensions. The current data analysis leapfrogs the state–trait dichotomy discussion and reconciles the state-and-trait approach in the prediction of poor sleep, though self-regulation appeared to have both direct and indirect effects on sleep disturbances. © 2024 by the authors.